UpdatedSun, Jul 11, 2021 at 7:13 am ET
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My education tour in Afrika's Nile Valley is Sunday on July 11, 2021. By the time this commentary is published, I will be in Kemet (Egypt). However, my trip to Afrika marks the beginning of my two-week journey to study Kemet (Egypt). I will finally get the opportunity to physically see Black people's contributions to the world's civilization and religions through the eyes of Kemet. Evidence suggest that Afrika is the birthplace of humanity, the progenitor of civilization, and the root of the world's major religions (i.e., Judaism, Christianity, and Al-Islam). Many historians and scientists argue that on the world stage of human progress, civilizations began in the Nile Valley, and there were many major civilizations in that area of Afrika. However, ancient Kemet reflected humanity's march toward creating the world's first highly advanced civilization in times of antiquity. It played a central role in the development of mathematics, philosophy, medicine, science, government, architecture, a written language, art, monotheism, education, ethics, morals, and religion. Many cultures and nations borrowed from the knowledge and wisdom of the ancient Kemites to push their civilization forward towards the foundations of modern society. Unfortunately, white supremacy has made ancient Kemet a European or Arab civilization. When in fact, Kemet began as a Black civilization. This is because racists cannot accept the genius of Kemet coming from Black people. They had to put a non-Afrikan face on Egypt to justify its greatness being white or Arab. Some white supremacist scholars even went further to completely deny Kemet's role in the foundation of western and modern civilization. Therefore, we as anti-racist educators and activists must work to create curriculums and history departments that include Kemet as the cornerstone of ancient and modern-day history. And must also boldly tell the truth about the original Kemites being Black. Every year, there is an Africana studies trip to Afrika by respected Egyptologist and history Professor Ashra Kwesi. Professor Kwesi was a 14-year student of the late and great Afrikan Egyptologist Dr. Yosef A.A. ben-Jochannan. Dr. Ben, as he was affectionately called by the masses of people in the world, died on March 19, 2019. He was 97 years old. Although Dr. Ben has passed, he authored many widely read books before his death, such as Africa: The Mother of Western Civilizations, Africa: The Mother of the "Major" Western Religions, We the Black Jews, and The Blackman and His Family of the Nile. In all, Dr. Ben has published 49 scholarly books and articles. Inspired by the academic works of Dr. Ben, Professor Kwesi has spent nearly 40 years taking people from all around the world to the Nile Valley to teach and tour the Afrikan histories and cultures of Kemet, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Kenya. The name of his educational tour is called Kemet Nu Knowledge of Self Tours. Brother Kweisi is assisted by his wife Merira. But most importantly, Kwesi's educational tours reinforce the need for Africana studies and Black liberation.